News that Kusagakure shinobi were attacking Iwa outposts on Grass Country territory quickly reached Ōnoki.
Ōnoki looked at the intelligence reports submitted.
He was here personally, yet Kusagakure dared make a move?
But this was not something he could dismiss just by doubting their courage. With Iwa's frontline forces frequently mobilizing for withdrawal recently, Konoha had likely noticed. As the landlords, Kusagakure would certainly not fail to discover it.
Just as all villages had radical and conservative factions.
Kusagakure likewise had both. If one side truly saw Iwa showing decline and intended to strike, it was not impossible.
Thinking this, Ōnoki made his judgment.
Whether they were really Grass shinobi did not matter. What mattered was maintaining stability of the withdrawal route. If they could not promptly nip this in the bud, even if Kusagakure was not doing it now, later real Grass shinobi would truly join in.
"Kitsuchi."
The tent flap moved first. The burly Kitsuchi strode in. "Tsuchikage-sama."
"You personally take three elite squads to deal with those rats."
"Move quickly. Clean it up. Then take their heads and make a trip to Kusagakure."
Kitsuchi received orders and prepared to leave.
"Wait." Ōnoki called him back. "Have Konoha's probes been getting more frequent lately?"
"Yes. Small-scale infiltration and reconnaissance frequency has increased by nearly thirty percent."
Seeing Ōnoki had no new questions, Kitsuchi led his men away.
Watching his eldest son leave, Ōnoki could not help sighing. Right now besides Kitsuchi, Iwagakure had no capable people who could handle things independently.
His thoughts returned to the current situation. Konoha's recent actions were abnormal. Not abnormal in discovering frontline Iwa shinobi were decreasing, but abnormal in their actions after discovering this.
Rather than pretending ignorance, they chose frequent probes. Did they want to attack?
For what? By common sense, Konoha should now hold defensive lines firmly. After all, forcing them back within Grass Country borders already counted as strategic victory. It was not based on such judgment that he would withdraw Han first.
Perhaps... he should conduct a strong probing counterattack to test Konoha's strength and determination?
The thought just arose before Ōnoki pushed it down.
Most crucial was ensuring the withdrawal route was foolproof. Better to wait for Kitsuchi to handle the Grass shinobi attack matter first.
Just one or two squads. Kitsuchi would not take long.
According to Ōnoki's estimates, originally it should be this way. But until the next day, Kitsuchi still had not returned.
Just as Ōnoki was about to personally check the situation, Jōnin Bunga, temporarily commanding the frontline, walked quickly into command with a grave expression.
"Tsuchikage-sama, Konoha's defensive line is moving. They seem about to launch a large-scale offensive!"
"What?!" Ōnoki's head snapped up.
He was still here! Konoha dared actively launch strong attacks?! Had it really been too long since he fought?!
Boom! Rumble!
Before words finished, dense violent explosions rolled thunderously from Kannabi Bridge's direction!
Konoha's offensive had begun!
Earth Country shinobi's offensive capability aside, their defensive skills were absolutely first-rate. Even caught suddenly, positions immediately reacted.
Roars and hand seal sounds mingled in explosion clamor. Thick solid earth walls rumbled up, intercepting the densest falling trajectories of explosive tag kunai.
Ground violently deformed under chakra control, creating sunken pits, disrupting Konoha shinobi's offensive formation.
Countless hard stone bullets whistled from behind Iwa positions, colliding midair with some incoming explosive tags, detonating early into clusters of fire and black smoke.
The first round of probing long-range fire coverage, most was resolved by Iwa's tenacious efficient defensive system. Konoha's momentum stalled.
But just moments later—
"Fire Release: Great Dragon Flame Technique!"
"Fire Release: Great Blaze Technique!"
"Wind Release: Great Breakthrough!"
The second wave of attacks followed closely. This time, dense Fire Release techniques.
Dozens of Konoha shinobi simultaneously formed seals. Flames instantly swallowed the narrow zone before the bridge head. Scorching heat waves even forced frontmost Iwa shinobi to retreat slightly.
However, despite impressive flames, hitting thick earth flow walls only scorched and hardened their surface layers without destroying these solid barriers.
From Iwa positions even came some suppressed laughter, mocking Konoha's futile consumption.
But just as flames blazed fiercely, nearly turning Iwa's forward positions into a sea of fire, obscuring both sides' vision—
Several dazzling lightning bolts suddenly lit up, crashing into the surging sea of flames.
Lightning and fire collided, triggering the most intense explosions.
Earth flow walls were instantly blown to powder. Countless stone fragments mixed with blazing sparks and leaping arcs smashed down upon Iwa positions.
The sudden burst of intense light made many Iwa shinobi's eyes instantly plunge into painful white blindness. They screamed covering their eyes. Iwa's lines instantly fell into chaos.
"Don't panic! Consolidate lines! Watch for impact!" Bunga's roar rose through chaos, striving to maintain order.
Ōnoki observing battle conditions from high altitude's face completely darkened.
This level of offensive was no probe. Konoha truly wanted to fight.
Ōnoki descended back to command and summoned Rōshi.
The Four-Tails jinchūriki rushed to the battlefield again. This time he did not choose recklessly charging lines, but climbed a high platform Iwa shinobi built for him with Earth Release.
Under Iwa shinobi's cover, the pitch-black energy sphere successfully shot toward Konoha's positions.
Just then, a masked figure appeared at the battle line's forefront.
Ground violently shook. Countless thick tenacious trees broke through earth. Not simply standing upright, but with exquisite arcs layering and coiling, instantly forming a massive solid curved wooden barrier, barely intercepting the Tailed Beast Ball's inevitable path.
Violent tailed beast chakra and life-filled Wood Release energy collided intensely.
The pitch-black energy sphere madly squeezed and destroyed wooden structure. Yet under that endlessly regenerating strange power, it was continuously deflected and weakened, finally barely grazing Konoha positions' edge, shooting toward distant skies, exploding into a massive mushroom cloud extremely far away.
Almost the instant the Tailed Beast Ball was forcibly blocked by Wood Release, Ōnoki's figure appeared directly above the wooden barrier. His hands cupped together. A transparent cubic barrier instantly condensed in his palms.
Just as Dust Release was about to launch—
A blurred long shadow shot at shocking speed from Konoha positions' direction, stabbing straight at Ōnoki's waist.
The Third Tsuchikage was forced to interrupt Dust Release's launch. His form shifted backward in an extremely awkward posture, barely avoiding this sudden strike.
Steadying himself, Ōnoki's face was livid as he looked along the attack's direction.
From Konoha positions appeared a figure he had assumed would absolutely not appear here.
Black tight combat uniform, wearing a shinobi cap, shoulders and arms equipped with guards, the long staff held in hand now slowly withdrawing.
"Hokage, Sarutobi Hiruzen..." Ōnoki's voice nearly squeezed through his teeth. "You came too."
Chapters in advance there: patreon.com/Thaniel_a_goodchild